Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to eyeglasses and, specifically, to eyeglass nose pads.
Eyeglasses employ opposed nose pads located adjacent the inner, opposed facing edges of the eyeglass lenses to mount the eyeglasses on the nose of a wearer. Such nose pads are formed of plastic or metal and are connected to the eyeglass frame by arms extending from the frames or are integrally formed as an enlarged area as a part of the frame.
Typically, such nose pads have a hard, smooth surface which causes the eyeglasses to slide down the nose of the wearer when the wearer moves his or her head, especially when the wearer's nose is wet or oily. Such slippage is more pronounced and creates a greater problem in hot or humid conditions.
Various attempts have been made to prevent or minimize such slippage of eyeglasses. Foam rubber nose pads, ribbed pads or pads formed with a rough surface have been devised to hold a pair of eyeglasses in position on a wearer's nose. Such nose pads are permanently formed as a part of the eyeglasses, are permanently mounted on the eyeglass nose pads, typically through the use of an adhesive, or are removably attached to the eyeglass frames via screws or snap-in projections. In addition, such nose pads have been specifically formed for a particular size and shape eyeglass frame.
Removal and/or replacement of the nose pads when broken, soiled, etc., is difficult due to the small size of such nose pads. In the case of permanently attached nose pads, such removal and/or replacement is impossible.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a nose pad for a pair of eyeglasses which provides a secure surface to minimize slippage of the eyeglasses in use. It would also be desirable to provide a cover for a nose pad which can be easily attached to and removed from an eyeglass nose pad. It would also be desirable to provide a cover for a nose pad which is removable and capable of being cleaned for reuse. It would also be desirable to provide a cover for a nose pad which may be constructed in any shape or form for use with any shape or size eyeglass nose pad. Finally, it would be desirable to provide a nose pad cover which is formed of inexpensive materials for a low cost.